Pak seeks international observers to monitor polls in J&K

2 September 1999Daily Excelsior

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today urged the international community to send
independent observers to monitor the coming Lok Sabha
elections in Jammu and Kashmir and claimed Parliamentary
polls cannot be substitute for plebiscite.

Accusing India of
committing repeated electoral fraud with the Kashmiris,
Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz told the official APP news
agency, ... It is important for the world to make special
arrangements to monitor the elections in the State.

Information Minister
Mushahid Hussain told reporters that elections cannot be
substitute for UN sponsored plebiscite as per the UN
resolutions claiming both India and the international
community are party to these resolutions.

Seeking to draw a parallel
with the East Timor referendum, he said, UN has found a
solution to that problem... And we hope the same
principle will be applied in case of Kashmir.